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Pizza in Oakland: Spinning Dough

A reader told me that she had a good experience at Spinning Dough Pizza, so I had to check it out. The restaurant opened last month and when I stopped by the other day, owner Jeff Chin was there working by himself. He was the cook, server AND busser!

Jeff told me that he worked in pizzerias before beginning a career in healthcare and now he’s gone full circle by opening his first pizza restaurant in West Oakland.

There were only large pizzas on the menu the day I stopped by, but he was planning to offer smaller sizes in the near future. So the only options were to order a Large pizza for myself or come back later with friends. After a moment of hesitation, I decided to go for it because I love leftover pizza!

I sat down, looked at the menu and asked for something unique and delicious. Jeff suggested the Bacon Brussels Sprouts Pizza.

The pizza was cooked in a gas oven and the crust was kind of New York-style – thin, but sturdy enough so it held its shape when I picked up a slice. That made me happy because I hate soggy pizza. His crust was almost fluffy inside, and I could tell that it took a while to develop the recipe, but I would’ve liked a touch more salt.

The tomato sauce was thick, with a concentrated flavor. And the toppings were generous, but I love charred brussels sprouts and crispy bacon, so it kind of felt like both were a little undercooked for my taste. Still, I’d go back to try some of his other pizzas.